It's hard to believe the race is finally here. I have been preparing for this all summer, methodically following the Galloway plan. I only modified it slightly at the end because my left leg has been bothering me. Instead of doing two long runs after my marathon before the marathon, I did one long run. So I was aggressive in my tapering, but I am hoping for the best.
Yesterday at the Marathon Expo was fun. It was the middle of the day on Friday so the Expo was not crowded and it was easy to walk around and see stuff. I picked up some new sneakers on sale, one of those stick things for massaging tired muscles, and a carrying case for my Iphone.
So tonight I had lasagna and a salad from Ozzies at Fairfax Corner. Yum. I also had two guilt-free rolls before the salad even came out. Galloway's book said to not eat too much the night before, so I only ate half of my lasagna. I hydrated all day and took Advil in the morning and at night.
The weather forecast is for 31 degrees at the start at 44 degrees when I finish, a projected 6 hours later. Anyway you slice it that calls for pants. I have not done any long runs in pants so I am a little worried about chaffing...good thing I picked up some "Glide" at the Expo too!
The hardest part of the race tomorrow will be force feeding myself breakfast and then getting to the starting line. I'll be taking the orange line and then switching to the blue line to get to the start. With 30,000 participants having to go through security it will take awhile to get to the start. Oy. Just thinking about that freaks me out!How many port-o-johns do 30,000 people need?
I am so excited that I have gotten to this point. Tomorrow is going to be a blast!!!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Got Parkinsons?
The title is a little pun form the "Got Milk?" campaign. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, men who consumed the most dairy products had a 60 percent increase in the risk of Parkinsons disease. Researchers have not identified why processed milk products increase the risk of Parkinsons in men. Could it be the use of Bovine Growth Hormone used to make cows produce more milk? Is it the pesticides used in the corn and soy fed to our industrially farmed cows? (What ever happened to grazing?) Could it be the antibiotics the cows are injected with the fight the infections that occur when you make a cow eat food that it's body was not designed for? According to the Weston A Price Foundation milk contains traces of 80 antibiotics - umm antibiotic resistance anyone??? Could it be the fact that once milk is pasteurized its molecular structure is altered, becoming less of a real living food and more like a food product, losing a significant amount of its nutritional value.
The study did not find a correlation between processed dairy consumption and increased risk of Parkinsons in women. My mom consumed a moderate amount of dairy growing up, nothing out of the ordinary. I don't know why the Y chromosome makes a person more vulnerable to increasing their risk of Parkinsons through milk consumption. The main correlations for suspected causes of Parkinsons have been head injuries and pesticides. Reviewing the list above, perhaps it is the pesticides used in the feed for the dairy cows that causes the increased risk from dairy consumption.
If you believe in the gut-brain connection like I do, perhaps its the lack of enzymes in pasteurized milk that make it difficult for your body to digest, which can lead to inflammation and a leaky gut. Leaky gut can lead to a whole host of neurological ailments and perhaps Parkinsons is one of them, but I digress. I am just glad to see yet another study supporting my belief in the gut-brain connection. For sources of raw milk in your community go to http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html.
The study did not find a correlation between processed dairy consumption and increased risk of Parkinsons in women. My mom consumed a moderate amount of dairy growing up, nothing out of the ordinary. I don't know why the Y chromosome makes a person more vulnerable to increasing their risk of Parkinsons through milk consumption. The main correlations for suspected causes of Parkinsons have been head injuries and pesticides. Reviewing the list above, perhaps it is the pesticides used in the feed for the dairy cows that causes the increased risk from dairy consumption.
If you believe in the gut-brain connection like I do, perhaps its the lack of enzymes in pasteurized milk that make it difficult for your body to digest, which can lead to inflammation and a leaky gut. Leaky gut can lead to a whole host of neurological ailments and perhaps Parkinsons is one of them, but I digress. I am just glad to see yet another study supporting my belief in the gut-brain connection. For sources of raw milk in your community go to http://www.realmilk.com/where1.html.
Monday, October 10, 2011
The Marathon before the Marathon
Yesterday I ran 26 miles. I am very sore today, but more than that I have a sort of mental fatigue that comes from all over exhaustion. The last longest run is by far the worst part of doing the Galloway program. You have all of the work and pain of running 26 miles without crowds cheering you on or the adrenaline of other runners carrying you. It's just you and your legs and your brain trying to get through it.
The best part of this day was sleeping in so that I could be well rested for my endeavor. I am glad I did it, but this clearly does not prepare me for getting up early on race day. For breakfast I had my usual bacon and a bagel and two cups of black tea. Not exactly the breakfast of champions, but it is what my body knows. I also took 3 advil to prepare my body for what it was about to do, a sort of apology in advance.
There is an 8 mile loop that begins and ends at my house which I did twice. These first 16 were pretty easy although the temperature was a little warm. I have been having some problems with muscle weakness in my left leg and this was noticeable but not so bad. I packed two twenty ounce water bottles, a 12 ounce water bottle and gus. My strategy is to run for 45 minutes, take a gu, and then take gus every 30 minutes. It seems to work. Any more than that and I get GI distress and any less than that I feel like I get weak.
After the first 16 I did two more five mile loops around my neighborhood (in a global sense). Between all of my loops I would swing by my house, switch out water bottles, add gus, and drink six ounces of Asea, a salt water solution which is supposed to help with inflammation. I also used the rest rom, not because I had to, but because it was there, and there was no where else on my loops should the need arrive.
Usually on my long runs it is the incremental increase in mileage where I feel the pain. Because of my sore left leg the last ten were challenging. I was annoyed by the early fatigue, but considering I had run 16 without complaint I took it in stride (pun intended). The only way I can manage the mileage mentally is to listen to my Integrative Nutrition ipod. I listened to David Katz and Mark Hyman, both of whom I had heard at the Integrative Nutrition conference in New York and then some one speaking about nutrition and mood disorders, especially as they relate to neurotransmitter and amino acid deficiencies.
The last five miles were brutal, even my cell phone died so I am not sure of the exact mileage that I did. I know it was at least 26 and perhaps 26.2. My phone got too tired and shut down. I could definitely relate. My left leg was weak and I started experiencing knee pain in my right leg, perhaps from compensating for my left leg. My back also tightened up. Looking at my shadow running, it looked stiff and rigid and uncomfortable.
When I made it home for the last time I tried to stretch, but even that was beyond my ability. I felt like a washcloth that had been wrung dry. I was a bit light-headed and definitely in pain. I inhaled some yogurt with some superfoods in it to replenish my body enough to get through a shower.
The shower was also brutal as all of the chaffing spots burned when the water hit them. Apparently, my sports bra had been chaffing on my back and I knew already that under my arms was pretty raw. These lovely chaffed spots usually take about a week to heal. My husband was kind enough to heat up some leftovers for dinner so that I could take some more advil.
Eating after running that long is an interesting thing. On the one thing you are incredibly weak and need nourishment, but there is also a little bit of nausea too and you feel too tired to eat. I ate some pasta and some deviled eggs and two fried onion slices plus a Orgain, organic chocolate milk with extra protein. Clearly not a meal taken from the training books, but it got the job done. I will say that although I was exhausted it was very difficult getting to sleep last night because of the muscle pain.
Today had my beautiful seven year old not woken me up, I may have slept all day. I was bone tired and felt very very heavy. My left leg continues to give me grief, not wanting to support my weight. I went to the chiropractor today and she really helped. I can almost walk without a limp and I imagine it will be even better tomorrow. What I was not expecting was the foul mood that accompanies the pain. I thought I would be happy in my long run accomplishment, but mostly I am exhausted and easily agitated. I put on some B-12 patches to help clear the storm clouds over my head and hopefully get some energy back.
If you are reading this, thank you for your support on this journey. I know that running a marathon is a bit excessive, and one should expect their body to not appreciate it. What has kept me going is knowing that I am doing this in honor of my mom and that so many people are cheering me on.
The best part of this day was sleeping in so that I could be well rested for my endeavor. I am glad I did it, but this clearly does not prepare me for getting up early on race day. For breakfast I had my usual bacon and a bagel and two cups of black tea. Not exactly the breakfast of champions, but it is what my body knows. I also took 3 advil to prepare my body for what it was about to do, a sort of apology in advance.
There is an 8 mile loop that begins and ends at my house which I did twice. These first 16 were pretty easy although the temperature was a little warm. I have been having some problems with muscle weakness in my left leg and this was noticeable but not so bad. I packed two twenty ounce water bottles, a 12 ounce water bottle and gus. My strategy is to run for 45 minutes, take a gu, and then take gus every 30 minutes. It seems to work. Any more than that and I get GI distress and any less than that I feel like I get weak.
After the first 16 I did two more five mile loops around my neighborhood (in a global sense). Between all of my loops I would swing by my house, switch out water bottles, add gus, and drink six ounces of Asea, a salt water solution which is supposed to help with inflammation. I also used the rest rom, not because I had to, but because it was there, and there was no where else on my loops should the need arrive.
Usually on my long runs it is the incremental increase in mileage where I feel the pain. Because of my sore left leg the last ten were challenging. I was annoyed by the early fatigue, but considering I had run 16 without complaint I took it in stride (pun intended). The only way I can manage the mileage mentally is to listen to my Integrative Nutrition ipod. I listened to David Katz and Mark Hyman, both of whom I had heard at the Integrative Nutrition conference in New York and then some one speaking about nutrition and mood disorders, especially as they relate to neurotransmitter and amino acid deficiencies.
The last five miles were brutal, even my cell phone died so I am not sure of the exact mileage that I did. I know it was at least 26 and perhaps 26.2. My phone got too tired and shut down. I could definitely relate. My left leg was weak and I started experiencing knee pain in my right leg, perhaps from compensating for my left leg. My back also tightened up. Looking at my shadow running, it looked stiff and rigid and uncomfortable.
When I made it home for the last time I tried to stretch, but even that was beyond my ability. I felt like a washcloth that had been wrung dry. I was a bit light-headed and definitely in pain. I inhaled some yogurt with some superfoods in it to replenish my body enough to get through a shower.
The shower was also brutal as all of the chaffing spots burned when the water hit them. Apparently, my sports bra had been chaffing on my back and I knew already that under my arms was pretty raw. These lovely chaffed spots usually take about a week to heal. My husband was kind enough to heat up some leftovers for dinner so that I could take some more advil.
Eating after running that long is an interesting thing. On the one thing you are incredibly weak and need nourishment, but there is also a little bit of nausea too and you feel too tired to eat. I ate some pasta and some deviled eggs and two fried onion slices plus a Orgain, organic chocolate milk with extra protein. Clearly not a meal taken from the training books, but it got the job done. I will say that although I was exhausted it was very difficult getting to sleep last night because of the muscle pain.
Today had my beautiful seven year old not woken me up, I may have slept all day. I was bone tired and felt very very heavy. My left leg continues to give me grief, not wanting to support my weight. I went to the chiropractor today and she really helped. I can almost walk without a limp and I imagine it will be even better tomorrow. What I was not expecting was the foul mood that accompanies the pain. I thought I would be happy in my long run accomplishment, but mostly I am exhausted and easily agitated. I put on some B-12 patches to help clear the storm clouds over my head and hopefully get some energy back.
If you are reading this, thank you for your support on this journey. I know that running a marathon is a bit excessive, and one should expect their body to not appreciate it. What has kept me going is knowing that I am doing this in honor of my mom and that so many people are cheering me on.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Chugging right along
My routine seems to be running 3 times a week. One long run and two 5 mile runs. I am so pleased with how well training is progressing. Just one cold so far and no major injuries. This is a huge accomplishment for someone who has had lots of injuries over my running career including several bouts with plantar fasciatis, chrondomalacia, and itb injuries.
I give a lot of the credit to my new chiropracter, Dr. Amanda Ngui-yen. Before my first visit my feet had been bothering me and I was basically tight all over. Now I schedule 30 minute sessions after my long runs and that seems to do the trick. There is a name for the type of chiropractic care she does, but I cannot think of it. It is similar to active release technique. Most importantly there is no jerking or popping or anything scary like that.
I give a lot of the credit to my new chiropracter, Dr. Amanda Ngui-yen. Before my first visit my feet had been bothering me and I was basically tight all over. Now I schedule 30 minute sessions after my long runs and that seems to do the trick. There is a name for the type of chiropractic care she does, but I cannot think of it. It is similar to active release technique. Most importantly there is no jerking or popping or anything scary like that.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The longest run so far...
I am feeling very self-righteous. I woke up Tuesday morning having not slept well and feeling generally crummy because of a cold I caught at the health conference that I went to over the weekend. I look out the window and it is pouring rain. The kind of rain that only happens every other day around here in Northern Virginia. I looked at my "To Do" list and it had one thing on it, Run 23 miles!
How could I possibly run that far feeling this bad and in such adverse conditions???? I convinced myself that I would only run 10 and then see how I felt. Perhaps I could tweak Jeff Galloway's program just a smidge. Of course if I only ran 10, that would mean the big 23 would still be weighing on me like a giant monkey or a 60 lb seven year old.
So my run started like every other run with one foot in front of the other. It rained quite a bit for the first 13 miles and then it dried out. My head cleared while running, more than any amount of saline rinses had been able to do. I dug deep and remembered the Outward Bounding, hang-gliding, sky-diving adventurer I was once was and continued on.
Once it cleared, I stopped by my house to change clothes. This fresh set of clothes would only be soaked in sweat not that dirty rain stuff. Honestly, the mileage is not so bad the first four hours. I listened to my IIN ipod for mental stimulation. It was a lot of Sally Fallon whom I have heard before, but always love.
The hard part is the last 5 miles. My heart was willing, but my legs were like "are you kidding me?." It is during this last bit where knowing that I am doing this for mom keeps me going. My fatigue is nothing compared to the physical burden she and millions of Parkinsons patients deal with every day. I am so blessed to be able to torture myself in this way.
I was very proud of myself for getting it done on Tuesday. Everything hurt afterwards, but I did it. Still no injuries and one big check on my "To Do" list!
How could I possibly run that far feeling this bad and in such adverse conditions???? I convinced myself that I would only run 10 and then see how I felt. Perhaps I could tweak Jeff Galloway's program just a smidge. Of course if I only ran 10, that would mean the big 23 would still be weighing on me like a giant monkey or a 60 lb seven year old.
So my run started like every other run with one foot in front of the other. It rained quite a bit for the first 13 miles and then it dried out. My head cleared while running, more than any amount of saline rinses had been able to do. I dug deep and remembered the Outward Bounding, hang-gliding, sky-diving adventurer I was once was and continued on.
Once it cleared, I stopped by my house to change clothes. This fresh set of clothes would only be soaked in sweat not that dirty rain stuff. Honestly, the mileage is not so bad the first four hours. I listened to my IIN ipod for mental stimulation. It was a lot of Sally Fallon whom I have heard before, but always love.
The hard part is the last 5 miles. My heart was willing, but my legs were like "are you kidding me?." It is during this last bit where knowing that I am doing this for mom keeps me going. My fatigue is nothing compared to the physical burden she and millions of Parkinsons patients deal with every day. I am so blessed to be able to torture myself in this way.
I was very proud of myself for getting it done on Tuesday. Everything hurt afterwards, but I did it. Still no injuries and one big check on my "To Do" list!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Check out my new Ads!!!
I am very excited to have advertisements on my blog. Please support my fundraising efforts by clicking on the advertisements and see what is being offered by my sponsoring ads. Any money earned from ads on my blog will be donated to my Team Fox fundraising efforts.
I clicked on the Parkinson's biomarkers study being offered by NIH. Since my mother has Parkinson's disease, my "odds" of developing Parkinson's are about 2-4 times greater than if I did not have a direct family member with Parkinson's. I don't know that I will be accepted into the study, but I will participate if offered the chance. I cannot control the progression of my mom's Parkinson's but I can raise money for research and I can participate in research studies that might help find a cure or a means of prevention. If you have a family member or loved one with Parkinson's, I encourage you to apply to participate in this study or other medical studies in your area which advance science for prevention and cures.
I clicked on the Parkinson's biomarkers study being offered by NIH. Since my mother has Parkinson's disease, my "odds" of developing Parkinson's are about 2-4 times greater than if I did not have a direct family member with Parkinson's. I don't know that I will be accepted into the study, but I will participate if offered the chance. I cannot control the progression of my mom's Parkinson's but I can raise money for research and I can participate in research studies that might help find a cure or a means of prevention. If you have a family member or loved one with Parkinson's, I encourage you to apply to participate in this study or other medical studies in your area which advance science for prevention and cures.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Rain delays!
Today "Rain-again-den" seems to have ended. Thank goodness. I got a humid five miles in today. It was one of those runs where you stop, shower, and then keep sweating for another half hour.
My pace has really slowed over the course of preparing for this marathon, which is a bit disheartening. It means my marathon effort will be crazy long. Right now I am on track for doing a six and a half hour marathon which is almost two hours longer than my last marathon effort. I guess I am going to really earn that finisher medal!
My pace has really slowed over the course of preparing for this marathon, which is a bit disheartening. It means my marathon effort will be crazy long. Right now I am on track for doing a six and a half hour marathon which is almost two hours longer than my last marathon effort. I guess I am going to really earn that finisher medal!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Ten for the short long run!
Galloway's program has you do half of the long run distance a week after your last long run, so today I ran ten miles after last week's twenty. Between these two runs I also did a five miler and a quick four with my running buddy Kristen. Today's long run was made easier by another running buddy Joanne. Thankfully, neither one of them complained about how slow I have become.
I was reading Galloway's book last night and he said that you burn the same amount of calories if you run one mile no matter what your pace. I kind of believe that. So I may burn fat calories if I run long and slow and more carb calories if I am running at a quicker pace, but the actual number of calories per mile stays the same.
Sadly, even with all of this running I seem to be consuming more calories than I am burning. What's a girl to do. Don't answer that.
I was reading Galloway's book last night and he said that you burn the same amount of calories if you run one mile no matter what your pace. I kind of believe that. So I may burn fat calories if I run long and slow and more carb calories if I am running at a quicker pace, but the actual number of calories per mile stays the same.
Sadly, even with all of this running I seem to be consuming more calories than I am burning. What's a girl to do. Don't answer that.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
When you know one person with Parkinson's, you know one person with Parkinson's.
When you know one person with Parkinson's disease, then you know one person with Parkinson's. What I mean by that is Parkinson's disease manifests itself differently in every person affected. I know the specifics of my mother's onset and progression of the disease, but the more people I talk to whose loved ones have Parkinson's the more apparent it becomes to me that each person with PD's experience is unique.
It is true that certain motor conditions need to be present for Parkinson's to be diagnosed. Those motor issues can be tremors, rigidity, balance issues or slowness of movement. From there the list of possible symptoms of Parkinson's expands. It's a wide selection of things you would not want to have happen to you.
I can only share with you the disease as I know it through my mother. The more I research the more lucky I feel that her progression has been slow and only recently has become more debilitating.
My mother was diagnosed eleven yeas ago when I was pregnant with Coleman. She had apparently been experiencing a tremor in her hand and some difficulty in writing. I remember her telling me that she was glad it had not turned out to be a brain tumor. My father's mother died on the operating table when they were trying to remove her brain tumor. Leave it to my Mom to find a silver-lining in the diagnosis of a progressive degenerative disease.
Early on, Mom hid her symptoms very well. She would hold her hand so it would not tremor. But even in the first couple of years there were thing she did not feel comfortable doing because of her Parkinson's. Looking back, my mother never carried any of my babies. She would always be sitting and I would place my sweet bundles of joy in her lap. She voluntarily gave up driving a few years into the disease as well. Better to be safe than sorry.
My memory is not great and when I think of the progression of her Parkinson's the details are fuzzy. There were certain benchmarks that I know were unfortunate but necessary, like the handicapped parking sticker and the use of a walker. Sometime ago, maybe four years, she developed the "mask" of Parkinson's where you lose control of your facial muscles and look expressionless.
In the past year, it has gotten difficult for her to focus her eyes and she has become sensitive to light. Mom also suffers from speech challenges with regard to articulation and projection, another one of those lovely gifts from Parkinson's. What disturbs me the most is the extreme weight loss that she has experienced over the last two years which is the result of her increasing difficulty with swallowing. All of these muscles which seem to work automatically in healthy people start not working so well for people with Parkinson's.
As wretched as all of this sounds, I assure you that there are many people with Parkinson's out there who are far worse off. What I am most grateful for is that when I see my mother or I call her, I am still talking to my Mom. She is still the amazing person she has always been. For many people with Parkinson's there are cognitive, emotional and behavioral symptoms and she either has not yet experienced these or hides them very very well. Every day with my Mom in my life is a blessing.
It is true that certain motor conditions need to be present for Parkinson's to be diagnosed. Those motor issues can be tremors, rigidity, balance issues or slowness of movement. From there the list of possible symptoms of Parkinson's expands. It's a wide selection of things you would not want to have happen to you.
I can only share with you the disease as I know it through my mother. The more I research the more lucky I feel that her progression has been slow and only recently has become more debilitating.
My mother was diagnosed eleven yeas ago when I was pregnant with Coleman. She had apparently been experiencing a tremor in her hand and some difficulty in writing. I remember her telling me that she was glad it had not turned out to be a brain tumor. My father's mother died on the operating table when they were trying to remove her brain tumor. Leave it to my Mom to find a silver-lining in the diagnosis of a progressive degenerative disease.
Early on, Mom hid her symptoms very well. She would hold her hand so it would not tremor. But even in the first couple of years there were thing she did not feel comfortable doing because of her Parkinson's. Looking back, my mother never carried any of my babies. She would always be sitting and I would place my sweet bundles of joy in her lap. She voluntarily gave up driving a few years into the disease as well. Better to be safe than sorry.
My memory is not great and when I think of the progression of her Parkinson's the details are fuzzy. There were certain benchmarks that I know were unfortunate but necessary, like the handicapped parking sticker and the use of a walker. Sometime ago, maybe four years, she developed the "mask" of Parkinson's where you lose control of your facial muscles and look expressionless.
In the past year, it has gotten difficult for her to focus her eyes and she has become sensitive to light. Mom also suffers from speech challenges with regard to articulation and projection, another one of those lovely gifts from Parkinson's. What disturbs me the most is the extreme weight loss that she has experienced over the last two years which is the result of her increasing difficulty with swallowing. All of these muscles which seem to work automatically in healthy people start not working so well for people with Parkinson's.
As wretched as all of this sounds, I assure you that there are many people with Parkinson's out there who are far worse off. What I am most grateful for is that when I see my mother or I call her, I am still talking to my Mom. She is still the amazing person she has always been. For many people with Parkinson's there are cognitive, emotional and behavioral symptoms and she either has not yet experienced these or hides them very very well. Every day with my Mom in my life is a blessing.
How slow can you run and still call it running?
I am not sure how slow you can run and still call it running, but I was definitely pushing the edge of that question yesterday during my twenty mile run/walk. I did a 5 mile loop near my house four times. The first couple of loops were strong and I felt pretty good. The third loop I started feeling tired and the fourth loop was nothing short of brutal.
I had perfect weather which helped, but as the day wore on, and I was running for 5 hours so it wore on and on, it got progressively warmer. By the last 2 miles I felt like I was running on sticks with glass chards on my feet. I also had some serious arm chaffing by the last loop. I need to buy some "glide" or whatever its called.
Fortunately my orthotic inserts helped keep my feet in place and my toes were not as damaged as with the last two long runs. Don't get me wrong, those big toenails will still be coming off at some point, but I did not have to pop any blisters underneath my toenails after this run. I'll call that a win!
After a twenty mile run I was pretty non-functional. I could barely walk and things like making dinner or picking up after myself, forget about it. Strangely, I seem to have a hard time regulating my body temperature after my last three long runs. I think it is just a sign that I am asking too much of my body. My left knee was also in throbbing pain last night making it very difficult to sleep, even with advil and tylenol, my knee persisted in throbbing.
Today is better. I can walk like a normal person although I do feel bone tired. I am not excited about my next run. Thankfully, my next long run is not for another three weeks.
The highlight of this twenty mile tour around the neighborhood was listening to my Integrative Nutrition lectures while I was run/walking. Ironically one of the lectures was on Ayurvedic medicine by . The theme was to go with the flow, living in tune with the seasons, and nothing in excess. Do you think running for 5 hours is excessive? I do. I'll start being more balanced on October 31st.
My favorite that I listened to was Bernie Seigel, an MD who works with a lot of cancer patients. He had great advice for living life and being in tune with your body. He shared amazing stories of recovery, hope and spirituality. It reminded me of what a blessing it is to be alive and to be able to do this marathon to honor my mother.
I had perfect weather which helped, but as the day wore on, and I was running for 5 hours so it wore on and on, it got progressively warmer. By the last 2 miles I felt like I was running on sticks with glass chards on my feet. I also had some serious arm chaffing by the last loop. I need to buy some "glide" or whatever its called.
Fortunately my orthotic inserts helped keep my feet in place and my toes were not as damaged as with the last two long runs. Don't get me wrong, those big toenails will still be coming off at some point, but I did not have to pop any blisters underneath my toenails after this run. I'll call that a win!
After a twenty mile run I was pretty non-functional. I could barely walk and things like making dinner or picking up after myself, forget about it. Strangely, I seem to have a hard time regulating my body temperature after my last three long runs. I think it is just a sign that I am asking too much of my body. My left knee was also in throbbing pain last night making it very difficult to sleep, even with advil and tylenol, my knee persisted in throbbing.
Today is better. I can walk like a normal person although I do feel bone tired. I am not excited about my next run. Thankfully, my next long run is not for another three weeks.
The highlight of this twenty mile tour around the neighborhood was listening to my Integrative Nutrition lectures while I was run/walking. Ironically one of the lectures was on Ayurvedic medicine by . The theme was to go with the flow, living in tune with the seasons, and nothing in excess. Do you think running for 5 hours is excessive? I do. I'll start being more balanced on October 31st.
My favorite that I listened to was Bernie Seigel, an MD who works with a lot of cancer patients. He had great advice for living life and being in tune with your body. He shared amazing stories of recovery, hope and spirituality. It reminded me of what a blessing it is to be alive and to be able to do this marathon to honor my mother.
Monday, August 29, 2011
5 + 5 + 5...snore
Since my last run I have completed 3 five mile run/walks. I don't think I had to run that far on each of the runs, but unless I am out there for over an hour I don't really feel like I have had a workout. This past week was notable because of Irene. We were in Atlantic Beach, NC watching the weather forecasts and wondering if we were going to get hit head on.
We decided to leave Thursday, the day before the mandatory evacuation hit. I managed to squeeze a run in before we left. It was a triathlon of sorts, run for an hour, clean/pack/load for three hours and then drive for seven plus hours. Needless to say I was spent on Friday.
Irene blew threw on Saturday and Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon I picked up some new orthotic inserts for my shoes. I had a relaxed non-eventful run around my neighborhood loop Sunday evening. The orthotics seemed to help because my toes were not mad at me afterwards. My house and neighborhood did not seem to suffer any damage from tropical storm Irene. Today I am having some minor protests from my left knee, but I don't know what that is all about. Hopefully it is nothing as I need to run 20 tomorrow. Oy.
Oh and boy am I glad we left Atlantic Beach. As of yesterday they had no power. I hope they still have a beach!
We decided to leave Thursday, the day before the mandatory evacuation hit. I managed to squeeze a run in before we left. It was a triathlon of sorts, run for an hour, clean/pack/load for three hours and then drive for seven plus hours. Needless to say I was spent on Friday.
Irene blew threw on Saturday and Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon I picked up some new orthotic inserts for my shoes. I had a relaxed non-eventful run around my neighborhood loop Sunday evening. The orthotics seemed to help because my toes were not mad at me afterwards. My house and neighborhood did not seem to suffer any damage from tropical storm Irene. Today I am having some minor protests from my left knee, but I don't know what that is all about. Hopefully it is nothing as I need to run 20 tomorrow. Oy.
Oh and boy am I glad we left Atlantic Beach. As of yesterday they had no power. I hope they still have a beach!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Mini long run of 11.5
The Galloway program has you running long runs every other week and then shorter long runs on the off week equal to half the distance of the previous long run. This weekend I was supposed to run 9 miles but ended running 11.5 just so I could make it all the way to Fort Macon before turning around. I walked the last mile and a half.
It was a beautiful sunny day and other than my big toes, everything felt great. My long runs are pretty boring without my ipod from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Normally I listen to the lectures from the program while running. I am very alert and manage to retain a lot of the information from the lectures despite not taking notes on my runs. My ipod froze on the lock position and it needed to get sent away for repair. Supposedly, it is fixed and sitting on my front step in Fairfax, VA. In the meantime, I am listening to the radio on my iphone which feels way less productive!
It was a beautiful sunny day and other than my big toes, everything felt great. My long runs are pretty boring without my ipod from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Normally I listen to the lectures from the program while running. I am very alert and manage to retain a lot of the information from the lectures despite not taking notes on my runs. My ipod froze on the lock position and it needed to get sent away for repair. Supposedly, it is fixed and sitting on my front step in Fairfax, VA. In the meantime, I am listening to the radio on my iphone which feels way less productive!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
What is Parkinson's
I know I promised some not-so-fun facts on Parkinson's disease so here are the basics in question and answer format. Please know that the answers to these questions will be cut and paste from other websites. :)
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system. It is a motor system disorder which resulting from the loss of dopamine producing brain cells. With an annual incidence of approximately 20 new cases per 100,000 people, the prevalence is 200 cases per 100,000 people or 0.2%. There are 1,000,000 or more people with PD in the United States; more patients than with multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and myasthenia gravis combined.
What causes Parkinson's Disease?
It is not known what causes the death of the dopamine producing brain cells which result in Parkinson's disease. There is increasing evidence that Parkinson's disease may be inherited, but there is considerable controversy over this. Most likely Parkinson's is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
What is Parkinson's Disease?
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system. It is a motor system disorder which resulting from the loss of dopamine producing brain cells. With an annual incidence of approximately 20 new cases per 100,000 people, the prevalence is 200 cases per 100,000 people or 0.2%. There are 1,000,000 or more people with PD in the United States; more patients than with multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and myasthenia gravis combined.
What causes Parkinson's Disease?
It is not known what causes the death of the dopamine producing brain cells which result in Parkinson's disease. There is increasing evidence that Parkinson's disease may be inherited, but there is considerable controversy over this. Most likely Parkinson's is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
There is some evidence that certain toxins in the environment may cause Parkinson's disease. Scientists have suggested that external or internal toxins may selectively destroy the dopaminergic neurons, causing Parkinson's disease. Toxins that may be linked to Parkinson's include manganese, carbon monoxide, carbon disulfide, and some other pesticides.
Also, it is believed that oxidative stress can cause Parkinson's disease. Oxidation is a process in which free radicals (unstable molecules lacking one electron), in an attempt to replace the missing electron, react with other molecules (such as iron). Free radicals are normally formed in the brain and body, but usually the brain and body have mechanisms to get rid of them. In people with Parkinson's disease, the mechanisms may not be effective or they may produce too many free radicals. It is also possible that environmental toxins may contribute to abnormal free radical formation and lead to Parkinson's disease. Oxidation is thought to cause damage to tissues, including neurons. In most cases, antioxidants protect cells from free radical damage. (These past 2 paragraphs were cut and paste from webmd)
Is there a cure?
There is no known cure for Parkinson's disease. Treatment options center around management of symptoms.
Four at tempo
Yesterday I ran four miles at tempo. Nothing exciting just a little faster than my long runs and a little less walking. I was able to pop a couple of the blisters underneath my big toenails towards the top which helped alleviate a lot of pressure and pain. The big toes still make me aware of their presence at all times, but at least they do not hurt too badly.
My marathon training is pretty mellow except for the long runs every other week. My goals is completion and injury prevention. Serious runners do a lot of speed work and cross-training. I will just be seriously happy to finish.
When I get home I am going to get some orthotics for my running shoes to prevent my feet from sliding forward too much. I have high arches and normally I wear them, but mine were getting a bit too ripe before we left so I figured I would leave them at home. We all make mistakes.
My marathon training is pretty mellow except for the long runs every other week. My goals is completion and injury prevention. Serious runners do a lot of speed work and cross-training. I will just be seriously happy to finish.
When I get home I am going to get some orthotics for my running shoes to prevent my feet from sliding forward too much. I have high arches and normally I wear them, but mine were getting a bit too ripe before we left so I figured I would leave them at home. We all make mistakes.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
An easy 5
After two days of rest and a great sports massage from Janet at the OC Spa, I was ready to get back to running. I am following my own interpretation of the Jeff Galloway Program. I bought the book 15 plus years ago and am following the recommended training program in there for the "just finish" goal. I completed the 1996 Marine Corp Marathon by training according to his schedule and plan to do the same this year. His program is built around the premise that running followed by one minute walk breaks prevents injury. During the past 15 years I have been no stranger to injury with many bouts of plantar fasciitis and chrondomalacia, read unhappy feet and unhappy knees, and so the emphasis on running injury free resonates with me.
This past Spring I was training for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and was feeling great. It was during one of my long training runs for this that I felt so good a little voice inside my head said, "maybe I could run another marathon!" Training for a marathon is a very self indulgent process and the only way I could justify it to myself was to marry my annual Team Fox fundraising efforts to the Marine Corp Marathon. If I am being a good daughter by raising money for Team Fox then I won't feel as bad about taking this much time away from my husband and kids.
So today was an easy five and the only thing that hurt were my angry big toes. They both have blisters and hurt badly underneath the nail. I am not sure what this means, but when I get home from vacation I will look it up in my Galloway book!
This past Spring I was training for the Cherry Blossom 10 miler and was feeling great. It was during one of my long training runs for this that I felt so good a little voice inside my head said, "maybe I could run another marathon!" Training for a marathon is a very self indulgent process and the only way I could justify it to myself was to marry my annual Team Fox fundraising efforts to the Marine Corp Marathon. If I am being a good daughter by raising money for Team Fox then I won't feel as bad about taking this much time away from my husband and kids.
So today was an easy five and the only thing that hurt were my angry big toes. They both have blisters and hurt badly underneath the nail. I am not sure what this means, but when I get home from vacation I will look it up in my Galloway book!
Monday, August 15, 2011
The long run that sealed the deal.
Yesterday I successfully completed an 18 mile run. I figured if I can run 18, the next 8 should be fairly doable, barring any heinous injury. The first 13 miles was an easy, somewhat humid, and super sunny 13 miles to Fort Macon and back. There were plenty of places to buy water and it was fun to check out the abundance of real estate available for sale.
The last five miles were a very slow out and back on the beach during low tide. The breeze was awesome although my legs were pretty darned tired. Since I was already soaked with stinky sweat, I ended my run with a swim in the ocean. By "swim" I mean I walked in until I was deep enough to just kind of stand there and hang out. The nice thing about the post long run swim is that it cools you off quickly. The not so nice thing about it is it makes you acutely aware of where you acquired rashes during the run.
I am very excited that the Marine Corp Marathon is actually within the realm of possibility. I had my doubts two weeks ago after a disastrous 16 miles on Marco Island. I got heat exhaustion from running mid-day in FL - go figure - and could not get my heart rate under 180 unless I was walking and so I walked the last 3. Hopefully it won't be 95+ degrees on October 30th.
The last five miles were a very slow out and back on the beach during low tide. The breeze was awesome although my legs were pretty darned tired. Since I was already soaked with stinky sweat, I ended my run with a swim in the ocean. By "swim" I mean I walked in until I was deep enough to just kind of stand there and hang out. The nice thing about the post long run swim is that it cools you off quickly. The not so nice thing about it is it makes you acutely aware of where you acquired rashes during the run.
I am very excited that the Marine Corp Marathon is actually within the realm of possibility. I had my doubts two weeks ago after a disastrous 16 miles on Marco Island. I got heat exhaustion from running mid-day in FL - go figure - and could not get my heart rate under 180 unless I was walking and so I walked the last 3. Hopefully it won't be 95+ degrees on October 30th.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Just the beginning...
Thanks for stopping by to check out my blog on training for the Marine Corp Marathon. I am training for the marathon, and plan on completing it, in order to raise money for Team Fox, the grassroots fundraising arm of the Michael J. Fox Foundation. I joined Team Fox three years ago in honor of my mother, Nancy Messick Ray, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in the year 2000. My mother has endured this disease with grace and dignity despite its increasing impact on her quality of life. I believe that the research funded by MJFF is the best hope to improve the life of my mother and the lives of other Parkinson's patients.
I hope you will join me in the fight against Parkinsons disease by supporting my Team Fox efforts. Direct donations can be made through my Team Fox page.
If you are interested in following the journey of an ordinary forty-something year old trying to do something out of the ordinary, please follow my blog. For the next few months I will posting the dirty details of training, some fun facts about an amazing woman (my mom), and some not-so-fun facts about Parkinson's disease.
I hope you will join me in the fight against Parkinsons disease by supporting my Team Fox efforts. Direct donations can be made through my Team Fox page.
If you are interested in following the journey of an ordinary forty-something year old trying to do something out of the ordinary, please follow my blog. For the next few months I will posting the dirty details of training, some fun facts about an amazing woman (my mom), and some not-so-fun facts about Parkinson's disease.
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